Tooth Development and Decay

This image is a scaled-down version of the actual pathway image. It does not contain any links to the protein information pages.

Description

Teeth develop as ectodermal appendages in vertebrate embryos, and their early development resembles morphologically as well as molecularly other organs such as Hairs and Glands. Interactions between the Ectoderm and underlying Mesenchyme constitute a central mechanism regulating the morphogenesis of all these organs. Central features of Tooth morphogenesis are the formation of the Epithelial Placode, the budding of the Epithelium, the condensation of Mesenchyme around the bud, and the folding and growth of the Epithelium generating the shape of the Tooth Crown. The mineralized structures characteristic for Teeth, which is, Dentin and Enamel, are formed by specialized cells, the Odontoblasts and Ameloblasts differentiating from the Mesenchyme and Epithelium, respectively. Although many diverse species have Teeth, Non-Human Tooth development is largely [...]